


Over Our Heads

by Kivan



Series: From the Fires [4]
Category: Batman - All Media Types, Teen Titans (Comics), Young Justice (Cartoon)
Genre: Batfamily Feels, Dick/Jay if you squint, M/M, Moving On, There is Someone Else, Unrequited Love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-06-26
Updated: 2015-06-26
Packaged: 2018-04-06 07:01:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,200
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4212384
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kivan/pseuds/Kivan
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>
  <i>They haven't been alone in the same room since that awkward rejection business over a week ago.</i>
</p>
            </blockquote>





	Over Our Heads

**Author's Note:**

> Oooh, what's this. Some plot? That's new. Cute.

It's half past three in the morning when Red Robin slips into the training room. Kon would have wondered how Tim had known he was there if it had been anyone else.

But it was Tim. And that was how he knew.

"Hey," he sighs as Kon turns from the dummies to cast him a questioning look. In response, Tim's arms cross over his chest. Loosely, displaying a bit more of his insecurity than Kon had honestly been prepared for.

"Hey," he answers, knowing Tim won't continue until he does. "What's up?"

They haven't been alone in the same room since that awkward rejection business over a week ago. Largely because Tim had spent the three days following in Gotham, and had just returned yesterday morning.

Kon may have been avoiding him a bit, too.

"I," Tim sighs, shoulders drooping and his head rolling, as if he'd just realize how tense he's been since entering the room. "God, this is a mess," he grumbles. Then, sharply Kon knows he looks back up. "I'm sorry, about that-" he cuts himself off with a roll of his wrist and tilt of his head. Kon knows he feels guilty, but it's nice to hear the apology.

"You could have said something before hand," he sighs, feeling that they're going to talk about it one way or another. Knows it'll be better to just get it over with.

"I didn't know what to say, Kon," Tom grumbles back. "We ended with more of a conversation than we began, and I didn't know how to start over, okay? I'm not good at making friends," he laughs, "so how could I be good at fixing friendships?" Kon feels himself smirk.

"That is a good point." Tim just sighs, shoulders slumping more, in relief or weariness, Kon couldn't tell. He hears himself ask before he can stop it, "Is there someone else?"

Tim huffs, harsh and sardonic before he seems to realize it. "Shit, Conner," Kon's heart jumps at the name drop, "I can't." Tim hadn't even realized what he'd said. "I really just can't. Okay?" He sighs, his fingers running along his face as if to wipe away all the stress of whatever has been going on.

"Okay," Kon hears himself agree. Tim looks back up at him then, his face surprised. "I won't push it." Tim smiles sharply again.

"You never do," his voice is almost raw, "Even what you probably should, you never do."

"Just," Kon feels the sigh before it takes him, "Are you happy?" Tim almost laughs again. "Even if it's in that screwed up way that you Bats do thing, are you happy?" The laughs falls short of taking over his posture before Tim's shoulder shift in and entirely different way that Kon knows means he's relieved.

"Yeah," he scoffs, "In that screwed up way we function best, I am."

"Good," he answers, and they both shift awkwardly for a moment before Kon clears his throat. "So what bring you down here at three in the morning?"

Tim laughs then, amused, and maybe a little bit affectionate. "I need your help, actually."

"My help," Kon gloats. "That's big of you."

"Yeah, I know." Tim smiles like it's a secret, "Not really anyone else I can ask this of though."

"What happened?" Kon asks, already knowing that, as usual, he won't get the whole story the first time.

"Nightwing got in over his head," Tim said simply. "He's asked for a hand, which," he pauses, mouth twisting as he chooses his next words, "Involves things that I know Cassie isn't going to be okay with. Or well, people, that Cassie isn't okay with."

"Who," Kon asks, voice solid, leaving not room for an evasion.

Tim sighs heavily, "Jason Todd."

"Red Hood," Kon hears himself ask, already processing every reason Cassie would not support anything involving the older man.

"Yeah," Tim replies wearily. "It's kind of a long story, but he's been acting erratically. Nightwing won't leave him be, and longer story short, it ended in blows a few hours ago."

"Sounds like a pretty long story alright."

"I just need your backing on this Kon," he sighs again, arms crossing over his chest again, like he's waiting for a refusal.

"And if it gets out of hand?"

Tim huffs a startled laugh, "I'll also need your help with making sure that doesn't happen. From what 'Wing has said, I'm going in on the assumption that it's going to be bad, but I know with some time, I can stabilize him." His face turns sheepish.

"You know how," Kon asks, not doubting but feeling that old curiosity that Tim has always lit in the back of his mind.

"He was exposed to a toxin," Tim paused, taking in a deep, stabilizing breath, "during the fire." A solid lump suddenly sits on Kind chest. "I've neutralized it before. I thought I had gotten it out of his system, too. But from what 'Wing says he's been having lucid dreams, memory gaps. Which is similar to how he behaved shortly after he was brought back, you know, from the dead."

"So the two together," Kon answers himself.

"We call it Pit Sickness," Tim nods. "Jason's biology isn't stable, which makes his chemistry go haywire sometimes."

"How do you know it's not just the toxin reactivating or something?" Kon asks again.

Tim shakes his head, memories hanging heavily behind his eyes. "He wasn't the only one exposed the first time, and so far Damian hasn't presented any of the reoccurring symptoms." Tim shifts suddenly leaning back against the wall, arms loosely crossing over his chest. Kon can literally see the gears start turning in his head. "The first time it was consuming. After exposure they were out for a few hours, and then by the time they woke up, they were violent and just, _lost_." As Tim tells him Kon can see the memories fluttering behind his face, none of them good. "It took nearly a week to get them stable enough that I wasn't worried sedating then would put them into cardiac arrest," Tim tells him offhandedly. "But once they were sedated offsetting the toxin was pretty easy," he sighs. "But pit sickness isn't something that I can just counteract. It's Jason's body working against him, so it's probably gonna take a bit more time."

Before he realizes it, Kon feels himself nodding, watching the stress lift off Tim's shoulders as he does. "Stop freaking out. If anyone can fix him, it's you."

Tim huffs a laugh before Kon processes what he's said even. "So I guess you're willing to help."

Kon watches him for a long moment, not answering. He can feel it in his gut, those feeling, the memories unwilling to be pushed back or forgotten. He knows it's a dangerous line- to be this in love with someone who is pushing him away so hard.

Clark always said he was too stubborn for his own good though.

Kon feels himself smile despite the gnawing feelings in his chest. "You left me, asshole." Turning back to the practice dummies, Kon tries to forget to small look of shock on the other man's face.


End file.
